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Trio of programs to benefit from 'A Community Thrives' program

A COMMUNITY THRIVES

Three programs will benefit from a merit grant and online donations received through the “Community Thrives” project of USA Today.

Administrators with the Concho Valley Home for Girls and Children's Emergency Shelter gladly receive donations from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thrusday at 412 Preusser St.(Photo: Contributed / Concho Valley Home for Girls)

Tina Medrano, Kelli Glisson and Kassie Coffey are administrators with the Concho Valley Home for Girls & Children’s Emergency Shelter in San Angelo, a United Way agency.

“We were very surprised,” said Executive Director Tina Medrano. “They announced winners in April and we weren’t on the list, but then the other day, I got an email saying we were getting a $5,000 grant from the Gannett Foundation.”

Glisson, the Girls Home director, said they have been in need of some new transportation for some time, which is what led to their participation.

More than 16,000 people helped crowdfund $2,513,658 for 1,525 participating organizations, and the Gannett Foundation distributed $2,010,000 in grants to projects and organizations in over 92 cities across the country.(Photo: USA Today)

“When this all started, what we were really needing is a 12-passenger van,” Medrano said. “So, we were asking for a little over $39,000, which is the price of the van – ours is pretty rickety.”

Medrano said they were thrilled that online donations through the Community Thrives program totaled about $3,400.

“This money was raised in a very short amount of time,” Medrano said. “Like two weeks, so we definitely want to give a big shout out to everyone who helped us… We had a lot of folks pitch-in for our cause, and we really appreciate it.”

What do they do?

All three said they routinely meet people who are unaware of the scope of their programs, and the vital role they serve in the community.

“We are most commonly known as “The Concho Valley Home for Girls” – and we can’t change that – but it does cause some confusion, because we actually have three programs,” Medrano said.

In addition to the Home for Girls and the Children’s Emergency Shelter, the organization also operates a Transition Center for young adults learning to live beyond foster care, active since 2010.

“These other two programs serve both boys and girls; the Children’s Emergency Shelter cares for children from newborns up through age 17, as they wait for foster placement, and the Transition Center helps them succeed after they age-out of foster care.”

Medrano points out that they are the only agency within a 150-mile radius that accept newborns, which is a very distinctive feature of their program.

“Most shelters will not take children under 5-years of age,” she said.

All three said they spend a lot of time on the telephone dispensing advice to families in distress, who are unsure of where to turn.

“We get calls all the time,” Coffey said. “From all over West Texas.”

Funding

The organization employs six administrators and a handful of house parents keep things going on a daily basis.

While they are a United Way agency, and receive money from the state, a large percentage of their funding come from fundraisers like the Nelson McGee Memorial Blue Grass Festival, and events hosted by local restaurants, businesses and churches.

“Throughout the year, we have several fundraisers, and we also have state contracts —but being a nonprofit — we are used to begging for things we need," Kassie Coffey said.

They said the community has also been great about donating household goods and hygiene products, which can be dropped of from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday at 412 Preusser St; donations can also be accepted on site, or through their website at www.conchokids.org.

Things they always need:

Furniture & household equipment – both for our residences and for young men and women who are leaving foster care to set out on their own.

Art supplies – acrylic paints, brushes, canvases, etc.

Paper products

Hygiene items

Cleaning products

Food

Gift cards

Tickets to movies, plays and events

Money

Matthew McDaniel is a journalist covering community news and faith-related items in West Texas. Send him a news tip at mmcdaniel2@gannett.com. Consider supporting West Texas journalism with a subscription to GoSanAngelo.com.